How Teachers Can Positively Influence Students

• Establish healthy communication patterns. Put the emphasis on listening. Remember, we have two ears and only one mouth. We need to listen at least 50% of the time. Often Listening is the only assistance a child needs to help them solve a problem.
• Teach respect by showing and modeling respect to students.
• Teach trustworthiness as a core human value and an essential ingredient in character development.
• Promote the behavior of responsibility. Remind students that they are 100% responsible for what they think, feel, say and do. Now one can make you think, feel, say or do anything.
• Demonstrate moral character. Establish ground rules in the classroom. Teach a true sense of right and wrong.
• Promote helping others and a service mentality. Assign yourself, don't wait. Encourage cross age tutoring. If something needs to be done, do it! Democracy is not a spectator sport. Get and stay involved.
• Most importantly teach students to acknowledge the existence of problems. Encourage them to seek help from parents, other teachers and counselors when they have a concern.